KERALA

· Kerala earned Rs 137 crore via eco-tourism

ð Eco-tourism programmes in Kerala, managed by forest department, has found huge takers and their popularity is likely to rise further in the coming years. The department generated an income of Rs 137.31 crore through ticket sales from eco-tourism activities conducted by various wildlife divisions in 2017-18. There are 60 such sites in Kerala.

ð The scenic Athirappilly waterfall, known as the Niagara of India, generated Rs 47.77 crore followed by Parambikulam division which generated a sum of Rs 29.41 crore. The eco-tourism spots did see a huge number of visitors with 12.68 lakh visitors in the same period. as many as 24,537 foreigners and 42,032 students visited these spots.

ð Of Kerala’s total geographical area of 38,863 sq km, 29.65% is forest area, which is around 11,521.81 sq km. A major portion of this includes six national parks, 17 wildlife sanctuaries and one community reserve. Kerala has a healthy wildlife population with the tiger population alone increasing by 73 to 190 in the past 35 years, said the latest forest data available with the department.

ð The elephant population increased from 4,286 to 5,706 in the past 14 years, pointing to the fact that the core forest area is more or less intact. The population of Nilgiri Tahr, which lives in the mountain landscapes of southern Western Ghats, has increased from increased from 743 to 1,420 from 2008 to 2016.

ð The 400 forest protection committees and 190 eco-development committees (EDC) play a huge role in promoting the programmes of Periyar and Parambikulam tiger reserves. They have ensured inclusivity by employing tribesmen in the area as watchers, guides and guards.

ð Forest revenue generated in 2017-18 was Rs 245.42 crore while the set target was Rs 341.32 crore. The total expenditure in 2017-18 was Rs 587.15 crore. Forests contribute substantially to the non-tax revenue of Kerala in the form of sales, mainly that of timber and other forest produce.

INTERNATIONAL

· China to launch 5G mobile phone services

China’s three state telecoms, namelyChina Mobile’s, China Unicom, and China Telecom’s, announced that it is to launch 5G mobile phone services. The move is to support China’s ambitions to become a technology superpower.
China’s commercialization of 5G will is aimed to provide a major boost to some of thecountries’ largest technology companiesthat are responsible for building nearly half of the country’s 5G network.

The telecom companies have announced plans in the websites and online stores about the 5G plans. The plans start from 128 yuan a month. It is made available from 1 November 2019. It will allow Chinese consumers nationwide to use the ultra-fast mobile internet service.

The countries telecom sector is planning to install over 50,000 5G base stationsacross 50 Chinese cities in the country by the end of 2019. The tier I cities of China, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, are already covered by the 5G network.

India opts out of RCEP agreement

India has decided not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) deal as negotiations failed to address New Delhi’s outstanding issues and concerns.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement during his speech at the RCEP Summit in Bangkok.

Mr Modi said the present form of the agreement does not fully reflect the basic spirit and the agreed guiding principles.

He said the agreement also did not satisfactorily address India’s outstanding issues and concerns, hence it was not possible for New Delhi to sign it.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and its six FTA partners (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand).

NATIONAL

· India and Saudi Arabia to hold first bilateral naval exercise

The first bilateral naval exercisebetween India and Saudi Arabia is to be held in 2020. The countries also plan to collaborate in research and acquisition of military hardware, which will help broaden defence cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia.

The exercisewill strengthen the position of the Indian Navy that spans from the Strait of Malacca to the Straits of Hormuz. The bilateral engagement aims to promote measures to ensure the safety and security of waterways in the Gulf region and Indian Ocean region from threats that might affect the countries.

‘Dharma Guardian’ military exercise between India, Japan concludes in Mizoram

The second edition of the annual joint military exercise, named as Dharma Guardian between Indian and Japanese Army ended at Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) Vairengte in Mizoram.

The primary focus of this fortnight-long joint military exercise was to train and equip the contingents in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain.

As part of the exercise, important lectures, demonstrations and drills related to counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations were conducted.

Both the Armies also shared their valuable experiences in countering such situations as also refined drills and procedures for joint operations.

· IFFCO introduced Indias first Nanotechnology based fertilizers for on field trials

The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO)introduced its Nano-technology based product range foron-field trials on 3 November 2019. It was launched at a function held in Kalol, Gujarat. The Nano-tech product includes Nano Nitrogen, Nano Zinc, Nano Copper.
The nano products were researched and developed at the IFFCONano Biotechnology Research Centre (NBRC) at Kalol Unit. It has been identified that these nanostructured formulations effectively deliver nutrients to the plants.

The products aim to improve soil health, reduce emission greenhouse gases. It will also ensure up to a 15-30% increase in crop production and reduce the requirement of conventional chemical fertilizer by 50%. The move is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for doubling the farmer’s income by

IFFCO is to test the first phase of the launch on farms under controlled conditions with support from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)and theIndian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

· India needs USD 30 bi investment per year in the renewable sector

Arunabha Ghosh, chief executive officer of Council on Energy, said that India needs $30 billion investmentper year in the renewable sector at Singapore International Energy Week. It is a series of energy conferences which were held between 29 October and 1 November.
Enforce regulation are making transparent bidding process at the tendering stage and preserve the sanctity of contract. Some sectors have done well in this area, and few sectors are not that up to the mark. By implementing such a system, India will attract international investments from leading pension funds, especially those in the US.

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